How to Pay Less for More, or: Enjoy Your New Country

On a recent Southwest flight, I found this little gem in the inflight magazine. Under the heading "Life Science" it says: "Research geek Garth Sundem interviewed 130 scientists for his new book, Brain Trust. Here, he translates their research into smart tips for everyday situations." I'm going to share this one with you, because it really resonated and I think there's a lesson for expats: How to Pay less for more

Expert: Paul Bloom, professor of psychology, Yale University; and the author of How Pleasure Works

Paul Bloom has found that the more information you have about something, the more valuable it becomes to you. For instance, most people assume that a $30 bottle of wine is better than an $8 bottle. But if you know something about the $8 botte - like you've visited the winery or you heard the year was a good one - its value increases to you personally. The same thing goes for travel: The more you know about the place you're visiting, the more you'll enjoy it. In other words, information can substitute for price. Rather than pay more, research more.

Have you done enough research on the new country you're moving to? Enough to get you excited and emotionally invested to make it successful, believing it will be possible and worthwhile? Feel free to share which resources you're using below in the comment section! :-)